Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros is pushing for better benefits and incentives of close to 22,000 active Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) distributed in 42,028 barangays throughout the country.

During yesterday's hearing of the Committee on Health chaired by Senator JV Ejercito, Hontiveros proposed to consolidate all existing bills pending before the committee regarding the welfare of BHWs.

Hontiveros, who is also Vice-Chair of the Senate Health Committee, said that the passage of a measure aimed to provide better benefits for BHWs is a step in the right direction to achieve Universal Health Care in the country.

It was reported that there are several BHW bills being heard by the Committee which aim to amend Republic Act 7833, otherwise known as the "Barangay Health Work' Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995 by defining the monthly salary/honorarium of BHWs and by introducing an intensive training program to upgrade their skills to better serve the community.

Hontiveros herself has filed Senate Bill No. 214 or the "Bibong BHW Bill" which seeks to provide a fixed basic monthly salaries to BHWs where they will be provided statutory benefits such as PAG-IBIG, GSIS and PhilHealth. The bill likewise include a burial and disability assistance, PhilHealth compensation package based on service rendered, and the establishment of six-month education and training program for community-based health workers in cooperation with the University of the Philippines.

"By enhancing their skills in health care provision, community organizing, health education, and giving them adequate incentives, we hope to ensure the continuous supply of public health workers to respond to the immediate healthcare needs of our citizens. Our BHWs are the frontline service providers in our community, especially in the countryside. It is only right to uplift their status as they are the government's important partner in working towards universal healthcare," Hontiveros said.

"Our BHWs are the unsung primary care workers in our community who must be fully recognized. They are the ones who promote and provide basic health services to our citizens, including initial response to calamities and disasters," Hontiveros added.

Aside from the Hontiveros bill, the other proposed BHW measures were filed by Ejercito and Senators Nancy Binay, Grace Poe and Bam Aquino.